To think there should be a maximum working temperature?

[RaggedBlousedPhilanthropist]

I work in a non-air conditioninged office.

it’s a public facing role so we can’t work from home unless we’re soley doing admin stuff.

it’s just too hot today!

I know if it goes under a certain temperature (16-degrees?) they are meant to send us home, but this is just too much!

🥵

Who will look after all the sick people if we can't work past a certain temp? I mean, I'm all for not sweating my tits off at work but I'd feel pretty guilty just downing tools coz its hot.

I closed our factory at 1pm today and the two of us in the offices went home too! It was just so uncomfortable and I figured that none of us would be very productive in the remaining 3 hours of the working day so why not! We aren't very busy due to continued fall out from Brexit/Covid/recession and it put a big smile on the faces of my staff!

@FictionalCharacter I disagree, yes you have places like these that will be very hot, I went in a chipshop earlier and it was insanely hot, but the places need air con or if that can't be provided then adjusted working times. A fan at these temps is useless.

@Bemyclementine Yes I can understand as you can't air con people outside, which is why I think adjusted times should maybe be adjusted, like on days where temps of near 40c are predicted, everything starts and ends maybe 4 hours earlier to take advantage of morning temps

I don't have an answer but I know what you mean. It is utterly disgusting in my office today. Temp is at 38 at the moment. Fans are just blowing volcano like air around. I'm sweating in places I didn't know I could sweat.

my office is 42 degrees, I have a fan but it's blowing warm air everywhere, every part of me is wet. I'm quite literally soaked through my shorts. Roll on tomorrow.

What if all the transport workers down tools and go home first.....there will be no trains/taxis/buses to get Margaret home from her office.....and if the small shop on her walk home has closed and they've gone home too, we'll, no ice cream /bottled water/dinner for Margaret!

Then she gets a call from school that they are closing so now she has to turn round and do a mile each way to collect her kids

Fans do not cut it in this heat! They do fuck all

Can you imagine the kick off from people with 'normal working hour' jobs if restaurants and pubs shut on a hot day?

What about hospitals? Farms? Factories? Emergency services? There would soon be uproar if the products/services we need aren't available.

It's insane, so it's not OK to work in cold temperatures but we're expected to continue in ridiculously high temperatures. I'd rather work in cold than heat, at least you can layer up and up the heating. It's totally fucked, we're not equipped in this country for this heat

Completely dependent on the job..... I'm a nurse..... all hell would break loose if healthcare staff went home because it was 'too hot'. But I do agree, if you can work from home or it's not an absolutely 'essential' job then fair enough it's boiling, so go home 👍🏻🤷🏻‍♀️

40 degrees is clearly too hot to work in an un-air-conditioned officed, and anyone saying otherwise is being a contrarian tit.

well, OP, as with people spouting about "we should all work until 70" that's the attitude of a desk jockey, isn't it?

My OH is a painter/decorator currently working on an outdoor site. Not possible to cool that down! Luckily the site manager is excellent - they're providing free cold water, 15 minute breaks every hour, and only doing 6 hours but paying a full day.

I don't really think a maximum temperature is possible especially in industries like hospitality and construction - although admittedly decent employers who really try to make things easier might be a rarity

If you work outside etc then just adjust the working hours.

If working hours were adjusted at national level for everything and implemented (a bit like covid restrictions were) then it wouldn't matter.

when i was in the army in hot places (outside of operational duties) we worked "tropical hours" so still did 8 hours (unless you were on duty officer or whatever) and just started early then worked until 1300 or 1400 and knocked off for the day.

Same as it's too hot to work in a shop/train/control room/classroom

Anywhere else!

Who do you think should stay open?

But its alright for me to work in an un-air conditioned nursing home? Where some residents are even asking for the heating on 🥵 honestly, some people have no clue.

Lots more countries than just Australia and the US have air con. It’s also widespread in places like Japan, China, many countries in the Middle East etc etc. It’s true a lot of Europe is behind us on air con. I spent a summer in Germany a few years back, never again. It’s like they hadn’t even heard of air con! But there are many places in the world that do have it.

Once again it’s always the “little people” who are expected to suffer, make all the sacrifices etc. While those in charge and/or with money, jet off on a whim and have nice cool environments. I’m not going to feel bad that my portable air con is running right now. It’s 39 here and it’s needed. I feel sorry for anyone working in this heat but yes, unless the job is absolutely crucial then people should be sent home.

But that’s what things like maximum working temperatures should take into consideration surely? Heat is unavoidable in some cases but that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be statutory mitigations in place like there is for your OH when temperatures exceed a certain point. Ultimately your OH’s employer is avoiding their employees ending up with heatstroke.

I don’t think that’s UR as this is the way things are heading.

I totally agree.

air conditioninged did make me chuckle though!

And those working these 'crucial' jobs?

nurses, teachers, farmers, etc would all be in a big pickle if they decided to stop work when it got too hot. Air con isn't the solution due to obvious environmental impact as well as cost! People with medical conditions affecting their tolerance to temperature should be given reasonable adjustments such as WFH, moving from a window, warmer uniform etc but there's no reason for healthy and able people to stop working in the heat

They should install air conditioning in such essential work places as a matter of course. These summers aren't going to get any cooler.

Your attitude of "it's shit for some people so it should be shit for everyone" really stinks.

My husbands a chef, his kitchen is around 55 degrees this afternoon. Are all restaurants and hotels just supposed to shut?

i agree that employees could do more to help staff in the heat, but I don't see what closing down would do long term.
Medical, emergency services, farms, food production and many more industries can't simply clock off because it's hot.
Our economy is in the shit and as a country can't afford to pay out more to compensate business and I'm sure lots of people couldn't loose a days pay either.

I do find it odd that so many people react to the heat, which is a result of climate change, by shouting for air conditioning... which will add to the problem.